Baoer 508

[Gomer]

I really didn’t need this pen. I already had 15 pens, several of which I really like. But, I saw it on E-bay and thought “OO that’s pretty.” So, I spent 7 bucks including shipping from China. It was shipped via SpeedPAK and showed up in just 10 days.

 

 

Before I bought it, I read and watched the reviews I could find and nothing seemed too terrible. And, my experience bears that out. I didn’t have to touch the nib. It writes slightly wet and super smooth. I’d call it a medium.

 

There was only one flaw. I guess something has to be wrong. There was a tiny hole in the coating on the barrel allowing bare metal to shine through. It was pretty obvious. Instead of making a big deal out of it, I just touched it with a black Sharpie marker and now you have to look for it to see it.

 

 

It is a metal pen, but not too heavy. With the cap it weighs 31 grams and the pen alone is 17 grams. If you are used to plastic pens, you would definitely notice the difference. The way the clip is attached to the cap is sort of weird. It looks fragile and could be bent sideways easily. And, the cap snaps off with a very light pull. I don’t think I would carry this pen in my pocket.

 

The barrel squeaked when I unscrewed it. I rubbed a tiny bit of lip balm on the threads and it’s quiet and smooth now.

 

The grip diameter is on the small side, slightly less than my Baoer 388. And, there is a step which is noticeable. I prefer the feel of the 388. But, I will use the 508 and it is pretty.

 

I have to stay off E-bay.

[Gammon]

Sharp looking pen.

[Ardakilic]

I have this pen, the red variant. Strangely, I find it hard to hold on my hands, due to its shape. I want to like it more.

[bugsydog55]

I've had this pen for almost 5 years and it is a pretty nice little writer.  The nib is seriously stiff but quite smooth, especially with use.  You can look around a bit and find these and other Baoer pens.  I currently have an 801, the one that looks kind of like a Parker Vector, inked up with Hero Black 234. a saturated carbon black ink from China.  Enjoy your pen and the colors you run through it.

[Gomer]

I have the 801 too.  It's a beautiful pen and writes well, but a bit too skinny for me.  It feels like a pencil in my hand.

[bugsydog55]

That is the downside of the pen but I seriously prefer it to a Vector.  I have never developed any love for the things.  The 801 is a particular challenge since I have some nasty arthritis in my hands but I can manage a few fills every so often.  It gets to make an appearance a few times per year.  I'll bring it out in meetings at church and get that bewildered look followed by a long "Oooooh!" so it gets passed around.  Thanks to that nail of a nib it has survived everything but a stabbing and hopefully that won't be an issue.